Wheel



NOV. I

E. C. AMADDEN WHEEL 2 Slheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 4. 1924 Nov. 1()J 1925,

` 1,560,836 E. C. MADDEN WHEEL Filed Jan. 4. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,ammm l Y .To aZZ'fwwm t may concern.'

Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STA EDWIN o. MADDEN,

oF NEW YORK, 151.r Y.

Em.. c

Appnfatin 4meaVv lJ'auaryjfi, 1924.v f semi No. 684,390.

Be it known that I," EDWIN C. MADpicm-'a citizen of the United States, residingV vat New York, in the county of New York and Sta-te of New York, have invented certain new and vuseful Improvements vin` Wheels,

of which thefollowing is a specification.

vThis invention pertains to limprovements in wheels, andA more particularl 1 to that type Iof wheels wherein cushion (element'or) Velements are imposed between the rim ofthe tire or tread membergof the wheel and the hub with a View of absorbing' shocks, thus insuring longer life to the roadway, the wheel structure as such, and the vehicle which is supported by the wheel.

The lpresent invention is in the nature of an impro-vement upon the wheel structures set forth in U. S. Letters Patents granted to mc Nos.'783,291 dated February 21, 1905, 1,122,-l 620 dated December 29, 1914, and 1,183,47 5 dated May 16, 1916.

1With the prior constructions, as sety forth'v in the above-mentioned patents, the cushioning element interposed between the Irim and tread and the central portion 'of the wheel was continuous, and the radial movement of thefparts'with relation to each other was more "or less'fvrestricted. Vl/Vhiilethe wheels, as shown invsaid patents, and more particularly the wheel set forth and claimed in the latter issued patent, have been'found to give fairly good results in practice, yet, by reason of the limitation of the relative radial movement of the parts, sulicient cushioning effect was not had, and as a result the cushioning element would break down. The principal cause of failure of thecushioning element to standup for a long period is due to the strain of the motor in starting` the car on-the one hand, and the strain of the brake to stop the car on the other hand. To meet this the interior con'- struction of the wheel has been so altered as to bring a larger volume of cushioning,r into position to resist -both -motor and brake strains. v Q

The improved construction, as illustrated in the annexed'drawings, ywherein Figure 1 is a face view ofthe outside of the wheel; Y .l

Fig.lf2,'a similar View, the wheel being seen fromthe inner side and the various parts of the cushionelement shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, a vertical sectional -view shownon t-he line 3-3 of Fig. 2,;

` Fig. 4, a face view with the inner facel plate removed and parts broken away-1l Fig. 5, a sectional perspective view showf ing in detail the construction of the treadv or rim and itsallied parts;Vv

Fig. 6, a perspective view of one ofthe cushion elements; y

Fig. 7, adetailed ysectional perspective of the hub or the combined hub and inner wheel member; f f -v Fig. 8, a ydetailed perspective View illustratingone of the cover plates and the closure washer or ring and Fig. 9, a perspective View of one of the spacing sleeves.

For the purpose of description, the wheel may be said to comprise-an outer wheel and combined inner wheel yand hub with an interposed seriesk of cushions. The outeil wheel in the .present case is composed of several members which vare rigidly-connected together and constitute in eect the rim section andv the radially disposed abutments whichY cooperate in conjunction with fthe cushions with other abutments formed upon the inner wheel. The outer wheel section consists of a tire ortread` member 1, shown in the instant case as flanged to run upon a rail, said tire being provided on its' inner face with an inwardly extending flangeor rib 2 located adjacent one edge, thus producing a relatively wide seat for the reception of a ring-shaped element 3. Said element 3 is of a widthY slightly narrower than ythe seat and is ofa depth equal to that of the depth of rib 2. The ring and the rib are provided with alined openings through which bolts or rivets are passed vas will llatex be set forth. Said ring ris, provided witha plurality lof inwardly yextendin g abutments designated generally by 4C. f Said abutments are formed integral with the member 3 and extend inwardly in Va radial direction,.being enlarged attheir inner ends forming sectorshaped ends 5.' About midwayV of its length each abutment is slightly enlargedupon its sides in'order to afford suflcientstrength'of metal about anfopening 6 which extends laterally through the abutment member. A

ice

llt

a hub 8 having formed integrally therewith an outwardlyA extending bo'dysection noted generally by 9. Said body section 9 is di# vided into 'a series 0i sections by radially :tour'in number, and equal distantly spaced so as to receive the abutment memberst'li` when the inner wheel membeiris in place.

The depth of the channels is suclithat the curved bottoms/1:1l thereofz'are-eut Vof contact with the curved facerof' the -V adjacent mein-gy ber 5 when the parts are in,k their normal positionl so that the innerwheel maymove "adially with reference to the outer:A wheel to zin-extent equalfto the clearance between. the bottom 11 ofthechan-nel '10 andthe tween the channelslO is depressed .andwdenoted by 14. There is thus produced what may be termed fingers` 15 adjacent; each oty the side walls 12fand 13, theftunction oi which will presently appear.` v ,Y rEhe body-ofthe web or outwardly extending portio1r9 is provided with a series ot relatively large vopenings'$16. 'The' various cushioning elements are alikei-n torni, onejot themA beingeshownvin perspectiveT in Fig; They may vbe saidvto comprise; an. arcuateshaped body member 1T- at each@ endyot` which there is Vprovided-an 4inwardlyextending armor element denotedlrespectively by and-19. The inner face of thebody is curved andV the thickness of the body vis such as to ll the spacebetween the face liyoi the boc y 9 andthe bearing face formed byV the inner ,face 1ofthe ring 3 and,l the flange 2r. Recesses 20' arek provided and in-to'lwhieh the fingers, or projections 15 entendi The inwardlyk projecting members 18 and 19 are likewise given suchshape as to iit a-ronndtlieenlarge;` ment' upon" thev abutmentmembersd and likel wise to takea' `fair bearing aga-inst the in-V clined sides of the sector-shaped Yelement 5i y of vthe abutment.' `Whenr the cushions are positioned between the inner .and 1' outer wheel elements, it will-*be seen vthat theycoins` pletely Vfill the space betweenl theinnei'nand. outer wheel members andy the, abutmentsfi, except'for the space-left-betweenthe curved face of the elementl 5 of the .abutment i and the curved bottom 11 otthegrooves or chan`-A nels 10. To properly -secure ktheparts against lateral displace-ment, or yin bother' words, to lock the inner and outer wheel. ele#v ments together, I provide cover-plates 21 and 22. Said plates are secured to the flange disposed openings or U-shaped-cliannels110iIltlirougln'spacin'g sleeves 27 which latterV are 2 and ring 3 by a series of lrivets 23 and to theV abutments' tAl by 1ix'f'etsb24-ancl yQt'iijrliicli pass respectively through the openings 6 and 7. Another series of rivets as 26 pass positioned in the openings 16, see Fig. 3,. the sleeves being of a diameter less than the diameter of the openings so that they may moveY w'it'lrt'h'e" plates-'- as the inner and outer elements partake of relative movement with?, out the sleeves coming in contactj'vith the` wall's'ofV the openingst 16. The.. plates thus holdy the innerv and` outer'wheel jmemb' againstk lateral dis'placement', while; `perni r ting anv angular movementftot these'part's* with relation toeach;other.,y f' i The liub section got'lie wlieel"upjon eiacl'i side is provided; ivit'hf annularli'grooves; denotedI respectively ,as 28 'and'l 29.; andtifing" shaped elementsl formed 'offfrubberor' likel materiall enter said'` grooves. ,"-Sa'id' rings shapedy members are denoteidf iby 30`and 31 and are held in place by-met'aillic rings 3L? and rivetedor otherwise securedE to tlieaee or side plates 21`and22, seeFiO". S.`

In use,v and'y assuming that tbe- Wheels are, of course, mounted upon the axlesof the'vehicle, the weight of the vehiclewill compress those cushion elements wh ich v-at. that .Stime are at the lowermost-portioni oi-tliel .he'el'. 95

Upon rotative movementibei'ng applied Lto' the axles and consequently tothe linb'or` t'he inner wheel', elementi gwliich `is secured1 to the axle, such filmer wheel" element willtenrll to-move and'consequently placeth'e iinglel 100 18 or 19, depending upon which'wayqthe A wheel is 1'otating,-uiid'er compression, andi the sidewalls y12, :assui'ning-fV that thejwheel" is rotating clockwise, will# fendi'to 'force the p inwardly projie'stingY cushion lmembersfl 105 against theiixed: abutment members fofftle'- outer .wheel element.` ,Y T lieV co1npression"'eX`-; ertedv is in! substantially a straight" line' lbef-f` tween the: faces 12y andthe adj acent 'fL es. ci the abutment,l and con'seq'i'ie'n1t'l. 'y`fl there isl no' 110 tendency to unduly .dstorltY or pusljtlie'geuslii-f ion element orward ini-,0' the apenr the; opposite side of 'the abutment. In other. words, there lis no er'eepage'v of thefcushibir elements and'no `drawing action a'swheretfli'e'j T15 cushion element is continuous"aslunderi thie prior constructions Even' though the cushionv elements be under-Qecmipression,'duetov the* driving power oit the motor je'z'zertedl througlnthe 'aXle,the wheel' felementsg'may 320 still move in al radial direction 'to takenfpj shock,- owing to the passing of thewv'lieel yover rail vjoints or ,otherV obstructionsythe degree of such radialimovementbeing limited, however', by the'factf that til-Teab itrne'nts T25 will gently bottom inl casethe shoc as. to cause.,- an abnormal movement this relative radial' movementjfof t n and outer wheels", thecnshion elem more speciically, the body7 17 thereofl be placed under a. state of compression be,-

tween the face lll and the'inner face ofjthe outer wallV member formed lby thel ringy shaped element 3 andthe flange 2.- v

The same action 4as above specified takes place up'on the application of the brake to. the wheel, .themembers 1S or 19, as the case may be, being placed under facewisecom-1` pression between -the 1- 'inwardly extendingy wheel is cushioned, the combination ofran" inner wheel member provided `with afseries of radially disposed U-shap'ed channels; an outer wheel member provided with a series of inwardly extending radial abut-ments,

said latten members passing into the U- shaped members aforesaid and being free of contact with the walls thereof; and a plurality of cushioning elements positioned between the inner and outer elements, each of said elements comprising an arcuate section and inwardly extending elements which substantially iill the space between the side walls of the adjacent abutments while leaving a. space between the inner end of the abutment and the bottom of the channel.

2. A wheel in which transmission of vibrations is prevented and the tread of the wheel is cushioned, comprising in combination an inner wheel member having a hub and an. outwardly extending body section provided with a series of radially disposed channels formed in its periphery with the periphery depressed intermediate said chan- Y nels; an outer wheel member provided with a series of inwardly extendingl radially disposed abutmcnt members, said members having thein side walls in spaced relation to the walls of the radial channels; and a series of cushioning elements interposed between the inner and outer wheel members, said cushioning elements comp-rising an arcuate shaped member tting between the depressed peripheral portion of the inner wheelmember and the inner face of the outer wheel portion and having inwardly projecting members fitting between the walls of the radial channels and the adjacent wallof the abutment of the outer wheel member.

3. A wheel in which transmission of vi brations is prevented and the tread of the wheel is cushioned. comprising in combination an inner wheel member having a series of U-shaped radially disposed channels formed in its outer face; an outer wheel member having a vseries of inwardlyextend ing fixed abutments, said-fabutmen`ts 'being radially disposed and adaptedto passfreely into the U-shaped clliannelsaforesaid;Y lthe'` length 'of said abutments being isi that the inner ends thereof `are. normalbl :out *of contact with the bottom'yofthe U-shaped channels; and cushioning elements* inter! posed between lthje A Aperiphery of' the` innerwheel members, lthe', iniierffa'ce o-f lthe outer wheel member and the side .wallsofflthe' abutments and -U-.shaped' channels "whereby upon excessive radialfrmovement` of saidYA wheel members one or more vof' said abutments lwill abut againstthe bottomrof the `U-shaped channels and thus relieve the cushl ioningelements from undue'. compression.

4. wheel inwhich transmission ofwibrations lis preventedlandthe treadvof thevv wheel 4is cushioned, comprisingi'an: :innerA wheel membergan outer wheel mem'beia-saiclfy members being lfree ftogmove radially with reference to each other and likewiselangularLe y ly with refer-ence toA each other; cushioning elements interposed betweensaidlwheel members, said vcushioning elements presentingl Vportions which are placed under direct coinpression upon radial movement of the parts and other portions which are placed under direct compression upon angular movement of the wheel members with relation to each other and means actingto limit the degree of compression exerted upon Asuoli cushioning elements when the same are placed under radial compression. v

5. A wheel in which transmission of vibrations is prevented and the tread of the wheel is cushioned, comprising an innerA wheel member consisting of a hub and an outwardly extending body portion, said body portion being pro-vided with al series `of, radially disposed U-shaped channelsV with the periphery of said body portion depressed between said channels whereby a linger is formed adjacent each side of each of said U-shaped channels; an outer ywheel member comprising a tread portion; a ringshaped member securedto the inner fac-e thereof, said member having extending inwardly therefrom a series of radially disi posed abutments, the inner ends thereof being rounded; a series of cushioning elements interposed between said inner and outer wheel members, each of said cushioning ele;- ments comprising an arcuate body portion provided at each-end with an inwardly extending member, sa-idarcuateportion fitting between the ydepressed peripheral portion of the inner wheel member and the inner face of the outer wheel member, and said inwardly extending portions of said cushioning member iittingbetween the adjacent side wall of the U-shaped channels and the adjacent face of the inwardly extending abutment of the outer wheel memv heIefrome-seiiies'of-itadially disposed abut-.-Y nients, the innenl endsitheiseogheing mundL4 loer,eachv of :Said filontnients =heing of euch length as ito benoimally aspaeed-raway trom th ottoni of thefU-ehdped rChannel; :und side plates-Seemed to fthe 'jo the lbody *Di vthe inner* :Wheel niemhe-ix':

, ,6. YA.' wheel* in vwhichdzransxnissien of *V1.-

bnatidns. iis preventedfwnd the tread oif the Wheel vis cnshioned', comprising: f an inner wheel membemeonsistmgzio :a hiihfendia'n comprising za :tnead p'olftiong-f zt Ting-shaped member-.seemed to ithe finnen'ftloe theieo', said membei! 11m-wing extending inwardly edge ,-.serie'sf :cushioning elements interposed 1 between fszmd inner and fouten Wheel members, eaohr'of :snidfoushioni'ng elements comprising an arcuate VJoody portion vprovided vat each end fwith am ,inwardly ex tending; finemben, Y .gemid anon-ate f `portion K lit` ting between the Adepressed iperipheml porv tionofthe infiel* wheel .member andr y,the linner aee of L,the outer Wheel .ineniheij, iand said inwardly extending'- portions .noi said onshioningfnieinber rfitting A#eet-Ween the V2idjacent side -Wall ef 'the-Ufshazped' channels! and -the adjacent .fece of theeinwaidly mi tending /abutment Vof the outer Wheel 4inem ber, each of lsaid-'ztbutments being of yeuch length fusto be norniallyuspaoed away from the -bottoni of the Ufshaped .ohanneh yside plates secured yto Atheontei Wheel inenibelf" und contacting ywith the-side vfeces :of ,the body of :the-1inner-Wheel member; and Hexible ring-Shaped elements Secured to seid' platesat the inner 'portions thereof;l said ring-:shaped members extending intogrooyes formed around the hub.

In tesi'in'iony whereof I 'have "Signed any naine to this speeifioation.- v f EDWIN C. Miennnf. 

